SA set for home detention revamp

The South Australian government is set to bring new home detention laws before state parliament.

UpdatedUpdated 11 February

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Legislation to revamp South Australia's home detention laws will be presented to state parliament this week as the government moves to restore faith in the state's justice system.

The "complete overhaul" of the legislation, which allows some offenders service jail sentences at home, will be the first of series of reforms this year as the state government focuses on community safety.

The changes will particularly clarify access to home detention by serious sex offenders, ensuring there is no doubt about how the laws should be applied.

"For serious sexual offenders who attempt to claim they are either too aged or infirm and should be on home detention, the new laws will ensure only those people who are permanently infirm, and of no community risk can be released," Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said on Monday.

"Currently, due to the piecemeal drafting of the laws, courts do not need to be satisfied that a person is both aged and infirm and of no risk to the community, they may only need to consider one aspect."

The new bill also addresses inconsistencies with the imposition and operation of suspended sentences, intensive corrections orders and home detention.

In other legal reforms flagged for 2019, Ms Chapman said she was just weeks away from changes to allow more trained professionals to assess the mental state of people before the courts, with the limited number of psychiatrists currently doing the work prompting long delays in some cases.

Next month, the government will also receive a report into how sentencing discount laws are being used in the courts at the same time beginning a large scale review of summary procedures.

"My number one priority is keeping victims and the wider community safe from high-risk offenders, and all of these legislative changes flagged will bring South Australians closer to having a system they are able to rely on and trust in," Ms Chapman said.